Commercial Beekeeping

Overview

At Niagara College, our approach to agri-food is holistic, meaning we look at the entire food system. An ever-increasingly important part of a vibrant food system are pollinators. To support that vibrant system in Ontario, in Canada and globally, thousands of commercial beekeepers will be required over the next decade. To meet that demand, Niagara College is offering Eastern Canada’s first ever Commercial Beekeeping Program.

This quickly expanding occupation will require a highly skilled labour force to care for the managed pollinators as wild pollinators continue to decline globally. Thousands of commercial beekeepers will be required over the next decade to meet the expected demand for pollination services required for various agricultural crops in Canada and around the world.

About this Program

Program Highlights

On campus Apiary with 30 actively managed hives are the centrepiece of this program

The three-semester academic program will coincide with the normal annual lifecycle of a honey bee from winter slumber to honey extraction to putting the honey bees back in their hives for overwintering and everything else in between

Opportunity to work in a field that is quickly expanding

Stats Canada, in their most recent agricultural census, have estimated a need for an additional 3,619 commercial beekeepers across Canada to meet demand by the year 2023

Established agricultural companies may consider expanding and adding to existing operations to include commercial beekeeping opportunities